A Rather Eventful Day
by Infatuated-Simplicity
Summary: NejiSakura! Sasuke comes home to find that maybe it is possible for the impossible to occur after you’ve been gone for five years. Neji appreciates what destiny has handed him. Sakura is just thankful for his heartbeat...
1. Things Have Changed

Author's Note: this is a three-shot. The first chapter is in Sasuke's POV, the second in Neji's, and the third in Sakura's. So this story is not over. It has been five years since they last saw Sasuke which makes Sakura 20 and Neji 21. Sasuke is sort of supposed to be a bit of an ass.

Summary: NejiSaku Three-shot! Sasuke comes home to find that maybe it is possible for the impossible to occur after you've been gone for five years.

Disclaimer: I own nothing…

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Nothing had changed. Well, one thing had changed. Instead of four faces gracing the rock face behind Konoha there were now five. But other than that nothing had changed. The buildings all looked the same and even from here he could see that the people had not really changed either. Their friendly spirit still radiated in the streets. It made Konoha just as bright and hopeful as ever.

As he scanned the area a feeling of familiarity began to overcome him but he quickly suppressed it. If all of this had stayed the same then maybe he still had a chance.

He began to make his way into Konoha. He was careful not to let anyone see the Uchiha symbol on the back of his shirt. If some one saw that the whole town would be buzzing about his arrival and then Naruto would be stalking him again. And that just would not do. He had to see her before anyone else.

He had accomplished his goal and he was ready to move on to the next one. It was time to revive the Uchiha clan. That had been his first thought after killing his brother and it had not taken long to figure out who he wanted to help him with this task. She may have been an annoying woman but she cared about him and she had some how managed to squirm her way into his heart.

And she was talented, to say the least. He had heard rumors of her success. Actually he had heard rumors about all of his old peers. Orochimaru had this annoying but helpful habit of keeping tabs on Konoha and then telling him about everyone and anything of any importance.

Naruto still had the Nine Tailed Fox at his disposal and was a serious contender for the position of sixth Hokage. Further more it would seem that the dobe had gotten married to none other than Hyuuga Hinata. It was almost certain that should the Uzumaki's have children they would be quite powerful and, more than likely, a lot of trouble in the mischievous way.

Speaking of the Hyuuga's, it would seem that Hinata and Hanabi had passed their birthright as clan leader over to their cousin Hyuuga Neji after Lord Hiashi died. It was more than appropriate for them to do so under the circumstances. They were both shy and female which would never win them any support from the other clans.

The real shockers had come in the slightly less important couples. Shikamaru and Ino were getting married and were the talk of the town at the moment. Somehow Kiba and Hanabi had managed to be placed on the same team a few times and now worked together on a regular basis and were causing quite a ruckus amongst the village gossips. And though he had never seen Rock Lee getting married to anyone, the rather unattractive man had managed to win Tenten over to make a rather interesting match.

As far as Sakura went he hadn't heard much other than her striking resemblance to the current Hokage. Her parents had died and Kakashi took care of anything she needed. The super strength, her medical abilities, and her mentorship with the Hokage had pushed her name through out the countries as another serious contender for the title Hokage.

Kakashi was the same as ever doing random solo missions every now and then. But oddly enough he was now part of a special ANBU unit that consisted of five people. It was this group that had Orochimaru worried. It consisted of the five most powerful ninja's in Konoha save the Hokage herself. Naruto with his inner demon, the renowned strategist Shikamaru, the infamous Copy-nin Kakashi, a certain clan leader and ANBU captain Hyuuga Neji, and Sakura the medical ninja that could cure any injury and crush walls with a single finger, was quite a formidable team. That was the reason they were usually sent on S-class missions together.

Traveling in the direction of her old house he noticed Naruto's favorite restaurant, Ichiraku, and decided to stop in. Why waste energy wandering around the city when he could obtain the information here.

"Excuse me old man, could you tell me the whereabouts of someone?" The old man turned towards him and eyed him in curiosity. Perhaps there was also a bit of recognition in his glance as well.

"That depends on if I know them." Sasuke quickly came to the conclusion that the only reason he was getting any information out of this man was because after all these years the old man still recognized him even if he couldn't register who the Uchiha was.

"You know her. I'm looking for a young medic-nin with pink hair." That was all you had to say to someone in Konoha if you wanted to find Sakura. There was no one else in the city with pink hair. The old man smiled.

"Sakura? I know her alright. Right about now she is usually at the hospital. But if she's not there your best bet is the Hokage's office." Sasuke turned quickly with every intention of going straight to the hospital.

"Thank you, old man." As he quickly walked away he heard the old man yell behind him like he had so many years ago.

"It's polite to have a bowl before you leave like that!" Too bad... He had never been a polite person.

As he got closer to the hospital he felt three familiar chakras, one more important than the other two. She was near by.

She had been accompanied by Ino and Hinata to her destination. It would seem that they had gone into the Hyuuga compound before he could see them. Hinata must be visiting family. Deciding to wait in a tree near by, where he could see the compound quite clearly, he sat for nearly forty five minutes before the three of them finally neared the door. He was ready to follow her when something odd happened.

Sakura stayed behind. As the other two kunoichi walked down the street Sasuke contemplated what business Sakura had at the Hyuuga compound. Perhaps that stubborn ass Neji had gotten injured and refused to go to the hospital for treatment. Neji, Kakashi, and Sasuke were the same in that respect. Not one of them would willingly stay in a hospital unless they were unconscious.

That was it. She must be tending a wound. But that theory was shot down as a very healthy looking ANBU captain entered his home on the main branches side of the compound.

What was taking so long? The sun was about to set and she had not left yet. Almost as an answer to his question a window opened and he could see Sakura making dinner. This was explainable too. The team must have decided to meet up and had chosen Hyuuga's house.

Lord, she was just as beautiful as ever. Her hair had grown out again and was down the waist of her white medical coat. He could tell that under the coat she now had curves that had not been there the last time he saw her. The pale skin that he had always loved was glowing in the sunset. Green eyes were sparkling in the fading light.

His suspicion about dinner was confirmed when he felt Shikmaru's chakra making its way towards the compound. A motion in the house caught his attention.

A large pale hand on her hip, a set of male lips near her feminine ones, dark hair mingled with her pink locks, and a black ANBU uniform contrasting with the stark white medical coat.

"She's happy you know." Damn it all… Kakashi and Naruto had showed up. Of all the people to find him it had to be those two. Karma was out to get him. These two were the most likely to rip him apart. Kakashi was the one who had spoken.

"Don't you have anything better to do other than stalk me?" Kakashi's silver brow rose.

"Who ever said this was about you? Personally I would love for you to disappear." There as an edge in Kakashi's voice. It was a known fact that although in their younger years Kakashi was not a great teacher for her, Sakura was Kakashi's favorite. When her parents died Kakashi took over the role as guardian for her. This wasn't Kakashi the teacher speaking, this was Kakashi defending someone he loved like the daughter he would probably never have. Oddly enough Naruto had not spoken yet.

"I only came back for one reason." Kakashi folded his arms in front of his chest.

"Leave her alone Sasuke. She can't leave with you." Sasuke stepped towards the Copy-nin.

"Why ever not? Because Daddy Kakashi said so? You are not her father Kakashi." The older man did not flinch like Sasuke hoped he would. He heard laughter and looked down at the window. Neji was spinning Sakura around as she laughed. When they kissed Sasuke looked away. There was a pause and Sasuke noticed that the remains of the sunset were gone. Night had taken over.

"She knows you're here. They know you're here." Sasuke heard Naruto speak for the first time in five years. But it wasn't the voice he remembered. Naruto had matured.

Sure enough when he turned around two sets of eyes, one pearl and one emerald, stared back at him, defiance shining in them. Sasuke sighed.

"Come to the bench." He said that loud enough for them to hear. He didn't need to elaborate. Everyone knew he meant the bench he had left her on all those years ago. She squeezed Neji's hand and the couple seemed to come to an agreement. She would come. When he turned to leave he found Naruto merely inches from his face.

"If I find her anywhere but here come tomorrow morning I will hunt you down." Sasuke didn't doubt it. More chasing…wonderful. With that he transported out.

He only had to wait a few seconds for her to arrive in a flurry of Sakura petals. He was about to speak when he noticed that she stood where the bench once was. She followed his gaze to where her feet were.

"I destroyed it. That bench reminded me of something unpleasant and I didn't need that reminder. Now, why are you here Sasuke?" That was unexpected. She didn't seem hostile but she did not seem happy to see him. The Sakura he knew would have welcomed him with open arms.

"I am here to rebuild my clan." She nodded obviously realizing that his first goal in life had been accomplished.

"I hope that is successful." Didn't she understand why he was here? Didn't she understand why he had sought her out?

"I was hoping to have you help me with that endeavor." He watched as a small sad smile graced her lips.

"There as a time when I would have accepted your proposal even at the prospect of being a baby breeder for your clan. But that time has long since past. How pathetic I was back then… I am sorry Sasuke. I can't help you." Sasuke's eyes narrowed. There was no reason for her rejection. She was simply being difficult and trying to make him understand the pain she had gone through when he left.

But he hadn't expected this. Her refusal was making him feel. It made him feel disappointed, frustrated, sad, hurt, but mostly angry.

"Why can't you Haruno Sakura?" His gaze hardened and she hardened her gaze in turn.

"Hyuuga." He felt his eyes turn to slits.

"Excuse me?" She looked him straight in the eyes and did not waver.

"My name is Hyuuga Sakura. I have been married for two years now." Sasuke's head shook in denial.

"That is not possible." His anger had left and was replaced by shock. Her delicate arms fold themselves in a way rather similar to the way Kakashi folded his earlier. She had obviously spent too much time with the Copy-nin.

"When a person disappears for five years I'm sure they find that many previously impossible things can suddenly become very possible." He felt his features turn down.

"I see. Am I to assume that you are content with the Hyuuga?" A smile appeared on her face and her hands moved down to her stomach.

"Not content, Sasuke. Happy, Neji and I are happy." He hadn't noticed it before but now that her hands were there to point it out he saw a small bump that had never been there before. The implication was all too clear.

"Congratulations. I will not be coming back." She nodded in understanding.

"I will send your regards to the others." Sakura petals showered down on the spot where she once stood as she departed. With out a word he disappeared in a flurry of leaves.

Things had changed.

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End comments: so this is not the end… for once. There are two more chapters. Those revolve around Neji and Sakura if you were wondering why I put it in this category. I will try to have them out with in the week. Hope you liked it. 


	2. Infinetly Better

Authors Note: this fic is a three shot. This is number two of three in Neji's POV. It has been five years since they last saw Sasuke which makes Sakura 20 and Neji 21. Neji is an ANBU captain, which I'm sure will become very evident. Sakura's POV is next.

Summary: NejiSaku Three-shot! Neji appreciates what destiny has handed him.

Disclaimer: I own nothing…

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Days that started out like this were always wonderful. Even if the rest of the day was wretched, waking up net to her made everything bearable.

Last night when he returned from his latest mission he raced through Konoha to get back to his home. He'd been gone for a long and lonely month and a half with a team that had lost their leader and was in need of a temporary replacement. As the top ANBU captain in Konoha the responsibility fell on him to lead the group he didn't know. They were a dull bunch which led to a rather quiet and boring month and a half.

Now he wasn't normally a very talkative person but lately he had gotten fairly used to going to A-class and S-class mission with Naruto, Shikamaru, Kakashi, and his wife Sakura. That in it's self made any mission eventful. And having Sakura there with him all the time meant that he didn't have to worry about her. Well, he worried about her in any circumstance but at least he knew what was going on when it was going on. And one thing Hyuuga Neji hated was not knowing, especially when it came to Sakura.

So when he got home at the ungodly hour of two forty five in the morning, he quickly took off his shoes and raced into the bedroom. As he removed the metal plates that completed his ANBU uniform a weight both physically and emotionally lifted as he took in the sight of his sleeping wife.

He tried to quietly slip into the bed next to her but it seemed that he hadn't been quiet enough… then again he never was. It was almost as if his wife had radar or something because she always knew when he was around.

"Neji?" She turned her sleepy green gaze towards him and a lazy smile graced her face. He laid down beside her and pulled her closer to him as he kissed her gently as to not wake her fully.

"I missed you." At his admission she snuggled closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist like she always did at night.

"I missed you too. Any injuries?" He chuckled lightly. Even half asleep she remembered the important things. She always worried about that. He hardly ever came home with a scratch but when he did get injured, no matter what the time, she would heal him straight away.

"No love. The mission went off smoothly." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and started to drift off again.

"Good." She was asleep in seconds. She must have had a long day at the hospital. Deciding to follow her lead he too began to fall asleep.

When he woke up the smell of apples, her long pink hair brushing against his arm, greeted him for the first time in over a month. Looking over at the clock he realized that they must have slept in a little. They both usually got up around seven when they didn't have a mission. She usually let for the hospital around eight or nine. It was now a little after eight.

That's when he felt the weight on his chest shift and he knew Sakura was awake. He felt her hair on his cheek as she moved to hover over him. His gaze shifted from the clock to her eyes. She kissed him softly and rolled out of bed.

"I'll make breakfast." She called over her shoulder as she headed into the bathroom. They both knew what that meant. She was really saying 'I am brushing my teeth, which gives you about five minutes to get out of bed and while I make breakfast you are taking a shower'. He was proven right when he heard the sink start running.

When she stepped into the hall he knew it was time to get up. Besides if he stayed in bed too long breakfast would get cold. And while Sakura's cooking was great under any circumstance, he really wanted a hot meal right now.

After a quick shower and a change of clothes he was greeted with wonderful smells coming from the kitchen. Sakura was already dressed for the day. She must have changed when he was showering.

"Morning Babe! Are you hungry?" A growl from Neji's stomach answered her question. He hadn't eaten all day yesterday in hopes of getting home sooner. Sakura began to laugh as she set down a plate piled with food in front of him.

Neji couldn't say that her laugh was like tiny bells or anything as frivolous as that. Her laugh was real, strong, and confidant and it made him happy. Sakura was not longer a boy crazed teenager and she had not been on for quite some time. She was self assured and didn't really care about what others thought. Now, admittedly that fact hadn't pleased his uncle at first but the family had come to love her. They respected her which had made their acceptance of her role as "alpha female", as Kiba liked to call it, that much easier when Neji had been made clan leader after his uncle's death. He watched as she gathered things for the day.

"Neji, I have to go in for my shift. Oh, you're having a clan meeting today and don't forget to turn in your written report to Tsunade-sensei. I'll see you tonight. Love you!" With a hug and a kiss she was out the door.

Neji had two thoughts as he finished his breakfast. First being that the meeting and the report were both un-welcomed duties that were inevitably going to be rather tedious. Second being that Sakura was going to have to make his night infinitely better than his oncoming day.

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He had been right. The report was rather mundane except for the drunken Hokage chasing after a cackling Naruto. What was the point of giving a verbal report if you were already turning in a written one? That question had a simple answer. Should the Hokage be drunk when you gave the report and thus did not remember the information you had relayed to her come the next day, she could refresh her memory with the written report you turned in to her previously.

The family meeting had ended exactly where it had started with no one getting anything done. So he was meeting with them again tomorrow and if they couldn't make up their minds he was going to decide for them.

As he approached his home he felt a presence near by, far too close to his kitchen window for comfort. He would take a closer look once he got inside. As he went through the door he heard someone bustling about and knew Sakura was home. He took off his sandals and placed them next her hers. If she wasn't too concerned about the presence out side then he wouldn't worry about it too much.

She was putting plates on the table when he entered the dinning room. She was setting it for more than two, which meant that they were expecting guests. She turned to face him.

"How was your day Neji?" A grunt was her answer. A look of sympathy crossed her features.

"That bad? Well, Naruto, Kakashi, and Shikamaru wanted to talk about the next mission so they're coming over for dinner." He sighed as began to help set out the chopsticks.

"We have another mission. All of us?" She came over and kissed him on the cheek.

"Yes, this one will be a short A-class. We are just guarding Tsunade-sensei during the upcoming delegations between the Leaf and the Mist." She went into the kitchen and opened the window. He decided that now was the best time to scan the area for that presence.

"Byakugan." He saw through the walls and continued to scan through the trees. There in the large tree near the kitchen was Uchiha Sasuke watching Sakura make dinner through the window.

"Do you see him?" Sakura asked as she stirred something, presumably soup, in a pot. He deactivated his Byakugan.

"He is in the tree." Neji said as she walked over to his wife.

"He has been there since I got home earlier." He went up behind her and placed on hand on her hip and the other in her waist length hair.

"Is he bothering you?" Sakura leaned into him but he couldn't truly feel her body because of the metal plate on his chest. Sometimes he really hated that armor. She brought her lips merely a breath away from his.

"No, but I have something important to tell you." He closed the gap between them for a few seconds.

"What is it?" Sakura closed her eyes and smiled onto his lips.

"I think you'll like it. Today I had Tsunade-sensei give me a check up. Remember how I was sick before you left? Well, it turns out that I'm pregnant." She opened her medical coat to show a barely visible bump. If she hadn't said anything he would have assumed she was on her cycle. Neji stared at her stomach and then looked into her slightly worried eyes. He must have stared longer than he thought. He turned her around to face him and pulled her into a kiss that was both gentle and intense at the same time. It made her breathless. When they parted he picked her up and began to spin her around as she laughed. He kissed her again just to make his feelings towards her news clear.

"You don't know how happy you've made me." It was true. Destiny had been very good to him and for that he was thankful. If Sakura stayed with him until the day he died and they never had to live with out each other, he would never complain about fate and destiny again. She giggled and kissed him lightly.

"I think I have a small clue." She remained in his arms as she finished dinner. Then Naruto's voice echoed in the night air.

"She knows you're here. They know you're here." When Sakura stiffened up Neji pulled her closer to him. He glared into the trees where Uchiha Sasuke's Sharingan eyes were clearly visible in the night.

"Come to the bench." The words were barely loud enough to hear, barley a whisper in the night. Sakura grabbed Neji's hand in asking and he replied in kind. He trusted his wife and he could tell that this was obviously a confrontation that was necessary. This matter needed closure.

He watched as his wife disappeared in a rain of Sakura petals. Kakashi and Naruto entered with grim faces. Silently the three of them sat down at the table and waited for Shikamaru. Soon enough the strategist entered and sat down.

"Whoa, who died?" Kakashi tapped his covered Sharingan eye.

"It's more like who didn't." realization dawned on Shikamaru's face.

"How troublesome…" this was going to be a very short and tense dinner. He wasn't sure if that was better or worse than a long and tedious meeting…

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The boys had pretty much shoveled down their food and left knowing that the couple would want to be alone when Sakura got back. And Neji's overly quiet attitude may have contributed to their swift departure.

He moved towards the bathroom and washed his face. When the smell of flowers wafted around him from under the door he knew she was home. He leaned against the door frame and watched as Sakura began to take off her coat. She laid the white medical coat on the back of a chair and picked up a brush from their desk against the wall.

She walked over to him, grabbed his hand, and pulled him to the bed where she sat down behind him. He closed his eyes as her small hands undid the knot of his forehead protector and bandages and then she began to run her fingers through his hair.

Neji had been surprised by her easy acceptance of the curse mark on his forehead when she first saw it. He didn't know why but, seeing as though she didn't have great experiences in the past with such things, he half expected her to end their relationship over it. He had thought that just about any woman in her position would. But then he quickly realized that he shouldn't have been worried about it at all. She understood that it was part of who he was and was slowly helping him get past that mark. The brush replaced one hand as she got all of the knots out of his long hair.

They sat that way for a while until she started to remove the metal that covered his black uniform. This was the only place he took it off, when he was alone in his room with Sakura. The plate that covered his blind spot was the last to come off as always. He felt her chin rest on his shoulder and her body press deliciously against his back with out any metal in the way.

"He's not coming back." He heard her whisper near his ear but it wasn't a shaky upset sound. Her hands came around his shoulders to rest on his chest. He took her hands in his.

"Is that good or bad?" Sakura kissed his neck.

"Good, I think. We won't have to deal with him unless it's on a mission, in which case you can beat him to a pulp." Neji chuckled.

"If the opportunity ever arises Sakura, you can be sure I will take full advantage of it." Sakura laughed and pulled him towards the bathroom with a blush. He allowed himself to be pulled until they reached the door frame. He gently grabbed her hips and pulled her close to him, her hands tangled in his hair.

"I missed you, Neji." Neji smiled against her lips and closed to door with his foot. This was the only time he smiled, when he was with her.

This was how he loved to end his days, with his beautiful and understanding wife who always seemed to know exactly what he needed when he needed it. His nights with her were always equal to his mornings spent with her and infinitely better than his days spent with out her.

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End Comments: Only one more to go!!! I want to have that out by tomorrow but it may be out as late as Sunday or Monday. I'm not quite sure yet. I hope you liked it. Sakura's POV is up next. Love to all reviewers!!!!!! 


	3. His Heartbeat

Authors note: So this is the last chapter… it's so SAD!!! In any case you guys know most of the stuff I would normally say already. Inner Sakura does not make an appearance in this fic because she has matured and now allows her inner self to come out in her personality. She's not violent or anything but she does what she ants now so she has no need for a violent inner voice.

Summary: NejiSaku! Sakura is just thankful for his heart beat…

Disclaimer: I own nothing…

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It was so quiet when Neji wasn't around. That may seem odd since Neji was so quiet in public but that was not the case when he was at home. Neji seemed to fill the house with his presence alone. She always knew when he was home. It was sort of like her sixth sense. He was expected to be home in about a week but Neji usually finished missions early. 

She slipped under the covers and after about an hour of starring at the wall she fell asleep. It wasn't a deep sleep. She never slept well when he wasn't home.

The moment the front door opened she was pulled from her light sleep and only a few seconds later the bedroom door opened. She wasn't all the way up but she was awake enough to be coherent. When he climbed under the covers she knew who it was but he needed to know she was awake.

"Neji?" She turned to look at him and found his pearly gaze fixed her sleepy green eyes. She smiled, however groggily, a real smile for the first time since he had left.

"I missed you." He said as she snuggled into his awaiting embrace. One of his hands rested on her lower back while the other subconsciously played with her long pink locks. He was too tired to really smile but the ghost of one graced his strong features as he regarded her sleepy visage.

"I missed you too. Any injuries?" She felt him chuckle. He always found it amusing that she thought of these kinds of thinks when she was half asleep. She waited for him to respond as she remained hardly conscious in slight worry.

"No love. The mission went off smoothly." Her worry diminished and she knew she would drift off sometime in the next twenty seconds.

"Good." She lifted herself those extra couple of inches to kiss his cheek and then she steeled down again. With her head against Neji's chest she could hear his steady heartbeat and deep breaths. Now she could sleep.

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It was warm, just the way she liked it. Mornings were more pleasant if she wasn't cold when she opened her eyes. If it was warm then Neji hadn't gotten up yet. He seemed to understand this small comfort that she liked to indulge in because he usually tried to stay in bed until she woke up. Actually he usually liked to stay in bed until she made breakfast because sometimes, if she didn't have the morning shift at the hospital, she would climb back in bed with him. The funny thing was that until they had gotten married neither one of them had been late risers, especially not Neji.

She stayed still until she felt him shift. He was looking towards the clock that was strategically placed in his side of the bed so she didn't demolish it should they use the alarm clock. They only did that for missions. They had probably slept in a little bit but she found that she really didn't care.

Her head was still rested on his chest and she could hear his heart beat. He probably knew about this little comfort, but he never mentioned it. She liked to listen to his heart beat. It seemed to reassure her of his health. One of her big fears was that one morning she would wake up with him and hear nothing. But that hadn't happened yet and hopefully it never would.

She lifted her body up on her forearms and watched as Neji turned his head to look up at her. With a quick kiss she rolled off of him and off of the bed.

"I'll make breakfast." They both knew what that meant. He had better be in that shower in the next five minutes. Her feet hit the cold tiles of the bathroom as she brushed her teeth and put on a clean uniform. On her way to make breakfast she saw Neji beginning to get out of bed. She chuckled a bit. He knew her all too well.

Making breakfast was something she did so often she could have done it in her sleep which was pretty much what she was doing now. It wasn't until her coffee was ready that she was fully coherent. She had started to pile food on a plate when Neji shuffled in having showered and put on a clean uniform.

"Morning Babe! You hungry?" His stomach growled in response and she couldn't help but laugh. He was so cute in the morning. She hated to bring him to reality but if she didn't one of his obnoxious aunts would barge in later and remind him of his duty as clan leader. Oh how her husband hated family meetings… she placed the plate of food in front of him and then picked up her kunai pouch, medical coat, and purse.

"Neji, I have to go in for my shift. Oh, you're having a clan meeting today and don't forget to turn in your written report to Tsunade-sensei. I'll see you tonight. Love you!" She kissed him on the way out. Poor man had to deal with the two things he hated most in one day; clan meetings and paperwork.

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"There you go Kiba. You're all patched up." Her friend flashed his canines her way as she left the room. Today hadn't been a busy day at the hospital. She'd had a few patients earlier that day but nothing serious.

She finished fill out Kiba's charts as Tsunade could be heard coming down the hall. Sakura started to make her way towards her mentor when her stomach started acting up again. She rushed to a sink near by… well, there went her lunch.

"Sakura how long have you been sick?" Oh shit! Why did Tsunade have to show up right at that very moment? It was best to just answer honestly at this point.

"For about two… maybe two and a half months now." She was in for it now. A furious expression made its way onto the older woman's face.

"Why didn't you tell me? Are you out of your mind? Two months Sakura! Two and a half months! What are the symptoms?" At lest the screaming was over now. Tsunade seemed to have calmed down a little.

"Fatigue, vomiting after meals and when I wake up, cravings, and a bit of emotional instability." Tsunade looked her over for a minute and then realization dawned.

"Well, I guess Naruto really can start calling me Grandma. When was your last cycle?" Sakura had to think about it.

"I guess about three months ago… Oh my…" Tsunade smiled at her.

"Let's go get you a check up."

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Positive. She was pregnant. Her hand went to her stomach. This was so exciting! But what would Neji say? How would he react? This hadn't been planned and Neji liked things to be planned. Sakura shook her head. Why was she worried? Neji would be thrilled even though he probably wouldn't show it. He would tell him tonight.

Just then she remembered that Ino and Hinata were coming over to show her Ino's wedding dress. As a matter of fact, there was Ino's lazy husband-to-be walking down the street right now. Shikamaru spotted her and walked towards her.

"Hey Sakura, would you mind treating me, Naruto, and Kakashi to dinner tonight?" Sakura nodded.

"Sure. Is it a mission party?" Sakura had started calling these little pre-mission dinners' mission parties. It was basically a briefing and dinner with five of them, who Tsunade called her S-class team due to the nature of most of their missions. Shikamaru smirked and headed over to the bridal shop obviously at Ino's strong request. He called back to her over his shoulder.

"Yeah, an A-class escort for Tsunade during the upcoming delegations with Mist. See ya!" Sakura waved at him and no sooner had the man entered the store did Ino and Hinata show up with a large rectangular box.

"Hey forehead girl, what's up?" Ino was holding the large box which Sakura assumed was the infamous wedding dress that the blonde had been talking about for weeks. Hinata gave Sakura a small hug.

"Nothing really. I just saw your lazy fiancé go into the bridal shop." Ino glared in the direction of the shop.

"Finally! I've been asking him to do that for about a week now." The girls laughed and continued to chat as they made their way to the Hyuuga compound. As they got closer to the door Sakura could feel a familiar presence getting closer to the house. After they were inside the presence settled somewhere outside. She would take a look at it later. In the mean time Ino was pulling out a beautiful white dress.

"Oh Ino, it's wonderful! You are going to knock Shikamaru off his feet." Hinata giggled at Sakura's comment as Ino spun around with the dress.

"I hope so Sakura. Do you think I could keep it here? I don't want Shikamaru to see it before the wedding." Sakura reached out to take the dress from Ino.

"Of course. I'll go put it in my closet." Hinata got up to make tea as Sakura left the room. Ino and Hinata wouldn't miss her if she stayed away for a few minutes.

After putting the dress away she snuck outside and silently took a look around. There it was, there was the familiar presence. Red eyes were peering at the house through the leaves. She knew who it was but why was he here now after all these years? Didn't he know it would be better if he stayed away, for his sake? No one wanted him here anymore, not even she did. Obviously he didn't know and so she made her way back into the house. She hoped Neji got home soon.

-------------------------------------------------------

After about forty five minutes her two friends finally left. Unfortunately Sasuke had not left the tree yet and Neji would be home any second…might as well set the dishes.

She pulled out some placemats and plates and started to set them out. When she heard a pair of shoes being taken off she knew Neji was home. He walked in as she began setting out cups.

"How was your day, Neji?" All she got was a grunt in response which meant that his day had effectively been shit.

"That bad? Well, Naruto, Kakashi, and Shikamaru wanted to talk about the next mission so they're coming over for dinner." She said as she placed the chopstick down in their respective places. She found it amusing that her team members had their own set of chopsticks at her house and they each had their own permanent place at the table.

"We have another mission. All of us?" He didn't know that she knew but to her it was fairly obvious. Neji didn't like going on missions with out her for the same reason he didn't like her going on missions with out him.

He liked to be in control of situations involving danger and if he didn't know what was happening to her he couldn't prevent any potential danger that may stray her way. If he wasn't there he couldn't protect her from the poisoned shuriken or the kidnappers that could come in the middle of the night. Of course he knew that she could dodge the shuriken and she could easily defend herself from the kidnappers but he liked to protect her and know what was going on. To her it was a sweet sentiment. Prior to the start of their relationship Neji had always looked out for himself first but now it was different. She walked over to him and kissed his cheek.

"Yes, this one will be a short A-class. We are just guarding Tsunade-sensei during the upcoming delegations between the Leaf and the Mist." Neji must have realized that someone was outside at this point so she went to the window and opened it as he activated his Byakugan. There were those eyes again…suddenly the broth of the soup she was making became very interesting.

"Do you see him?" Neji had seen him, but she had known that before she asked the question.

"He is in the tree." He didn't seem too bothered by Sasuke as he walked over to the kitchen as she continued to stir their dinner.

"He has been there since I got home earlier." She felt Neji come up behind her, placing one hand on her hip and the other in her hair.

"Is he bothering you?" She loved the way his deep baritone resonated in her ear, an unstated concern for her settling around them. He didn't always know how to show it but he cared. She leaned back into him and let his metal breast plate chill her back.

"No, but I have something important to tell you." She loved it when he held her like this. He closed the gap between them before he spoke.

"What is it?" She smiled against his masculine but soft lips.

"I think you'll like it. Today I had Tsunade-sensei give me a check up. Remember how I was sick before you left? Well, it turns out that I'm pregnant." She opened her medical coat to show him the barely visible bump that was their child. He just stared down at her stomach with wide pearly eyes. She was getting slightly nervous. She had expected a practical response about how it would be good for the clan but silence was something she had not expected.

Then, almost violently, he snapped out of what ever musing he had been focused on and leaned down to capture her lips with his. The kiss they shared in that moment was one of the best she had ever experienced and the two of them had quite an extensive number of experiences during their time together. As they parted he picked her up and spun her around as she began to laugh. She hadn't expected this kind of a reaction from him. He kissed her again.

"You don't know how happy you've made me." She found herself giggling out of relief and kissing him again. This kind of a reaction form him was amazing and very welcomed.

"I think I have a small clue." He placed her back on the ground and allowed her to finish dinner but he did not allow her to move from confines of his arms, not that she wanted to. Then Naruto's voice rang out in the night.

"She knows you're here. They know you're here." They both looked up ready to defend the family they had created. If Sasuke tried to come into this house his face would meet her fist before he got through the window. Neji's grip on her waist tightened.

"Come to the bench." That damn bench. Well, it needed to be done but if Neji wasn't comfortable with her going then she wouldn't go. She found his hand and squeezed it in asking and was relieved to get a comforting squeeze back.

She left a shower of petals in her wake. She arrived sooner than she would have hoped. Sasuke was already there and gazing at the empty patch of grass she was standing on. The bench…

"I destroyed it. That bench reminded me of something unpleasant and I didn't need that reminder. Now, why are you here Sasuke?" Something in her tone caught him off guard. Perhaps it was the hidden hostility lining her statement.

"I am here to rebuild my clan." Oh, of course. He had obviously defeated his brother and was moving on to his next goal in life. But since that didn't involve her anymore she did not really care.

"I hope that is successful." She wondered briefly who the unlucky girl was that would end up being with him after she refused him.

"I was hoping to have you help me with that endeavor." A sad smile was forming on her face. He thought she hadn't changed. He thought she would have waited forever. And admittedly at one time she might have, but forever had turned out to be too long for her.

"There as a time when I would have accepted your proposal even at the prospect of being a baby breeder for your clan. But that time has long since past. How pathetic I was back then… I am sorry Sasuke. I can't help you." She watched his red eyes narrow in annoyance and anger.

"Why can't you Haruno Sakura?" So that tid bit of information had not reach Orochimaru… interesting.

"Hyuuga." His already narrowed eyes suddenly looked more menacing, but she would not back down now.

"Excuse me?" She looked straight at him. She would not allow him to intimidate her.

"My name is Hyuuga Sakura. I have been married for two years now." His eyes went back to normal as he shook his head in disbelief.

"That is not possible." She folded her arms in front of her in a very Kakashi like fashion. She had spent too much time with the copy ninja.

"When a person disappears for five years I'm sure they find that many previously impossible things can suddenly become very possible." Sasuke's frown deepened but she found that she really didn't care about that either.

"I see. Am I to assume that you are content with the Hyuuga?" She couldn't help but smile at his unchanging inability to understand people.

"Not content, Sasuke. Happy, Neji and I are happy." She placed her hands on the gift that destiny had blessed her with. Oh hell, Neji was beginning to rub off on her. His eyes barely widened but he clearly understood.

"Congratulations. I will not be coming back." She nodded in understanding.

"I will send your regards to the others." She transported into her bedroom and took a deep breath.

The water in the bathroom was running. The boys had left. They must have practically shoveled the food because she had only been gone for about ten, maybe fifteen minutes.

As she took off her medical coat Neji appeared in the bathroom door. She picked up the brush that was on the desk in their room. He stood there as she moved towards him. He seemed slightly uncertain.

She guided him to the bed where she sat down behind him and removed his forehead protector and bandages. She began to brush his long hair.

Oh how she loved his hair. It was so brown that it often looked black but when it was under the sun you could see its true color. It was so soft she often found herself playing with it and letting it run through her fingers. She did find it amusing that just as she had started to grow her hair out again she had started dating Neji. Their hair was now about the same length and they both wore it loose. There was some truth to the saying that couples tended to look alike in some ways.

When his hair was completely brushed out she started removing the metal plates that covered his body. Unlike the rest of ANBU, Neji had an extra plate. She had ordered it just for him. After having healed far too many injuries in a certain part of his body she had made sure it wouldn't happen again. The steel plate that covered his blind spot was thick enough to stop just about anything but light enough to allow Neji to move with out hindrance. It was always the last piece of armor that she removed. When that last plate was gone she placed her chin on his shoulder, his back pressed up against her.

"He's not coming back." She said near his ear. Her hands moved around his shoulders to rest on his broad chest. His larger hands enveloped hers.

"Is that good or bad?" He asked, his low baritone rumbling out of his chest and into her own in a very delightful manner. She kissed his neck in reassurance.

"Good, I think. We won't have to deal with him unless it's on a mission, in which case you can beat him to a pulp." She felt Neji chuckle which to him was a full out laugh.

"If the opportunity ever arises Sakura, you can be sure I will take full advantage of it." Sakura laughed as she pulled him to the bathroom. Neji was not one to just let a man make propositions to his wife with out making them pay for it. If Sasuke ever met Neji again, the Uchiha would come back in a stretcher, Sharingan or not.

When Sakura's feet hit the cold tile floor Neji pulled her towards him by her hips and her fingers weaved in his hair.

"I missed you, Neji." She felt him smile against her lips as he closed the door. She laid her head on his chest. He began to kiss her neck and anywhere else he could reach with her head still positioned over his heart. The sound of his heartbeat began to increase and she felt hers do the same. It was always so quiet when Neji wasn't around.

* * *

End Comments: So sorry!!! I wanted this up last week but things got in the way. But it's here now. I think that this is the longest chapter and I'm sorry of there are grammar errors but I don't have much time to proof today. Thanks to the reviewers. I have a bunch of ideas for this paring so those should be up soon. Love ya!!! 


	4. Info On Prequel

Author's Note:

I just wanted to say that I have added a side story/ prequel to this fic. It is called _The Bench._ I hope you like it if you decide to read it. Thanks for reading!!!

erica


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